MINING.

Evening Star, Issue 14003, 9 March 1909, Page 6

MINING.

River height this morning, 4ft. lin; weather warm.

During February the Barewood Company's battery crushed 516 tone of stone tor a yield of 120oz 18dwt of gold. The Sailor'B Bend dredge-master has been instructed to have everything in readiness for making a start for the seaeon to-morrow.

Owing to Government boiler inspection the Alexandra Lead dredge will lose a day this week.

The values of the Welcome Quartz Company's reef have not vet been thoroughly tested. The width of "the reef is sft-from wall to wall, including 2ft of tough pug and 3ft of very solid stone. There is a great shortage of water at Hokitika, and the weather still continues exceptionally dry. The Rising Sun dredge-master reports : " Dredged 137 hours. lam now dredging away a point eo as to allow the current of the river to flow through and wash away the loam that lies on the bank on the top side of the eastern end of the cut. Machinery running well." The master of the South Waikaia dredge reported as follows on March 6 :—" I have had a good run since washing-up, and today the ground looks a bit better. There is gold making out in the river. The depth continucG much the same, and there is plenty of red clay. The wash is better looking, an dthere is more of- it. 1 have been dredging about fix chains and a-half of the face this week, and am in hopes of a better return."

The master of the Central Charlton dredge, writing on March 5, reports that the return is just about up to the average from sections 1 and 2. He had a lot of broken time during the week. On Saturday night the buckets parted, but were coupled again by midnight. On Monday the treads of the bottom tumbler gave way, and dredging had to be discontinued till a new one—fortunately on the ground —was fitted. The master expects to have to spend a week repairing the ladder, etc., shortly.

During the month of February Talisman Consolidated crushed 3,856 ton's for a return of bullion valued at £17,088 10s 9d. The costs for the month wore 375, made up as follows :—Mine development 8s lid, mining 13s 2d, milling 13s. general Is lid. The retnrn is the higiicst for three months, also exceeding that for February, 1908 (£16,661 from 3.638 tons). The total output from the mine to date is £1,031,867, and the total dividends £275,750. We are informed by our correspondent that Mr J. T. Johnston, the manager of the Bakery Flnt (Waipori) Sluicing oCompany, washed up at the end of last week for a return of 620z 9dwt. This is the result of sluidngto the 40ft level in the deep ground, which, on an average, runs another 30ft to the main bottom. The scarcity of water materially reducing the working pressure only allows of sinking being carried on meanwhile to a. depth of 40ft. The heaviest of the gold lies a foot or two above, as well ;ks on, the main bottom. It is therefore very satisfactory in the realisation to find the* upper lave.rs of gravel carrying so much sold. 'Mr Johnston is fairly to ho congratulated on the result of operating in the "deep ground, which certainly goes to show that the Bakery Flat Company's property is a verv valuable one.

Our Law retire correspondent informs us th;it M&ssts Fletcher and partv. who hold a claim and water-rights at Greenhills, towards the head of the Beaumont stream have made a start to bring the water in to their claim. For that purpose a few miles of the race, partly out and subsequently abandoned by the Beaumont and luapeka Water-race Company, will be utilised. All that is necessary is to clean out the old ditch and make the walls good in places where stock and the ravages oE time have helped to break them down. I his race, it may be pointed ont was started by a small local company over torty years ago to lead in water from the upper reaches of the Be;:.umout stream to work the auriferous terrace country between Tuapeka Flat and Tuapeka Mouth, but unfortunately had to be abandoned tor lack of funds before it reached the Big Hill Saddle, a prominent feature of the country about midway between Lawrence and Beaumont. Messrs Fletcher and party have seenred Mr W. Carr's services as mine manager, and he, with seven other experienced hands, is now en<wed in bringing in a supply of water to work the greenhills claim. A small hydraulic plant has been ordered, and it will probably be on the ground in about six weeks' time A fair amount of mining has been carried on in the Greenhills direction, and, it is understood, with very satisfactory results Messrs Fletcher and party are 'prepared to give the country a thorough-test, beinc quite satisfied with their prospects. ° THE SHARE MARKET.

niTNKDIN EXCHANGE. Onohitions :—• Central Charlton— Sel 7/ •'ton Creek—Sel 3/6'. >:o-Buy 6/3. •i-prise—Sel 4/. Cl.-lden lied—Buy 5/, .*>! 7/. Golden Treasure—Sel 35/. Hartley and Riley-Buy'2o/. -el 24/ Island Block—Buy 2/,'< el 3/. Miinuhcrikia—liuv 13/. sel 14/ Muddy Creek—Buy i 42/6. No Town Creek—Buy' 10/ Otago—Sel 25/. Rise and Shine—Buy 31/6. sel 34/6. Sailor's Bend— Buy "l] l(>, sd 14/ Big River—Sel 16/. Talisman Consolidated—Buy 45/9, pel 46/6. Waihi Grand Junction—Pel 26/6. Welcome (quart/.)—Buv 3' pm. Bank of New Zealand—Sol 172'6. Standard Insurance—Sol 22/3. Westport Coal Co.—Sel 125/. New Zealand Drug Co., Ltd. (£2) —SpI 49/. X '' New Zealand Portland Cement—Sel 35/6. Donag'nv's Rope and Twine—Buy 15/ D.I.C: (pref.)—Buy 21/6. N.Z. Paper MilliH-Sel 22/3.

CROMWELL NOTES

[From Our Own Correspondent.]

The weather continues very hot and dry. Yesterday afternoon the thermometer read 118deg in the sun and 90deg in the shade. Without rain come soon i-here will be a dearth of winter feed, as the grass is completely burnt upon the hills. The river is almost at winter level, and the Alpine Consols should start dredgin" this week. I understand tho dredgemasler has a difficulty in securing winchmen, as so many of our experienced men have been engaged for foreign parts. The Hartley would have had a magnificent return had she not broken down ; as it was, her retnm of 85oz was the result of only 70 hours' dredging. Both Shine dredges continue to do very well, notably No. 1, which had a splendid return of 70oz. The rich run of gold this dredge has been working on for swh a length of time apparently runs direct into the lower boundary of th>: Rising Sun claim, which comprises the lower flat close to Partridge's challhouse. Shine No. lis approximately 200 yards off the Sun's lower boundary.

The Rising Sun had a very i'ood return of over 430 a. The dredgemaster is dredging away a point so as to allow the river to flow through and wash away ihe loam, which has proved itfclf a drawback. The Rising Sun Company has declared the twentieth dividend, making 21s paid The return of 240z from the' Punt dredge is a decided improvement. The Cromwell syndicate's dredge at Cornish Point has been repairing most of the week. The ground is very heavv for so small a dredge. J hear that a shortage of water is already being experienced by the sinkers at the Nevis.